Logic Bee

Description

The Logic Bee is a biannual contest. It is held each fall and spring semester. The event is open to all undergraduate Penn State students.

Everyone is welcome to spectate in-person.

To be eligible, you must be a Penn State student. You may compete in a group (of 4 or fewer) or as an individual.

Since spring 2026 is the first ever bee, you qualify for the bee by signing up.

Contestents go head-to-head to determine the Grand Logician!

You may compete as a group (4 or fewer) or as an individual.
Each contestent will receive a slip of paper with a sequent, e.g., $A\rightarrow B, A\vdash B$, and a list of proof rules.
Contestents do not receive the same sequent (to discourage peaking) but efforts are made to sure sequents are of the same difficulty.
Proofs must be solved only using intelim rules (a sheet will be provided) with reiteration (R) and double-negation (DN).
Students have five minutes to provide a proof for the sequent.
For consistency, proofs must be presented using a quasi-Fitch (Fitch with premises) format. Proofs in Gentzen (tree), Hilbert (axiomatic), Suppes-Lemmon, Jaskowski, and Existential Graphs are not accepted.
No electronic devices (phones, smart glasses, etc.) or other materials are permitted.

Groups compete in a knockout style (single-elimination) tournament.
Points are awarded as follows: 2 points for being the first to correctly complete the proof, 1 point for correctly completing the proof in under 5 minutes, 0 points for unsuccessful completion.
The group with the most points after 3 rounds is the winner. If contestants are tied after 3 rounds, then sudden death rounds are run until a winner has been decided.

The winning group will receive:

Second place will receive:

Everyone else will receive:

$P\rightarrow Q, \neg L\rightarrow (Q\vee M), P\vee \neg L, R\wedge \neg M\vdash Q\vee (\neg Z\rightarrow L)$